Diana butler refused memorial invite

Last Modified: 28 Aug 2007
Source: ITN

Former royal butler Paul Burrell has been refused an invite to the Diana, Princess of Wales memorial service.

The ex-Palace servant, who worked for the Princess, said he understood and respected Prince William and Prince Harry's decision to leave him off the guest list.

The royal brothers previously accused Mr Burrell of "cold and overt betrayal" after he published a book about Diana.

In a statement, Mr Burrell said he had not been expecting to be invited to the service at the Guards' Chapel in London on Friday - the tenth anniversary of the Princess's death.

He added: "I have respect for the decision taken by Princes William and Harry and understand the position from their point of view.

"I have not one grievance to bear over this situation, and cannot be upset over an invitation I was not expecting to receive in the first place."

He also denied that he had telephoned Clarence House to complain.

Mr Burrell published two books about the Princess, firstly A Royal Duty and more recently The Way We Were.

He has always maintained that his writing was a celebration of Diana's life, not a betrayal.

Mr Burrell was accused of stealing from her estate after her death, but later cleared following the dramatic collapse of his Old Bailey trial in 2002.

He alleged afterwards that the Queen warned shortly after the Princess was killed that there were "powers at work in this country which we have no knowledge about".

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